Model demonstration set



M. B. ADAMS MODEL DEMONSTRATION SET Dec. 20,1949

2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Jan. 26, 1946.

HHHHHHHHHHHUQHHHHHHI]UHHHHHUIIHHHHHHHUHHHHHHHHHHHHH 5o B1 v HHHHHHHHHHHHHUUHHHHHHUHHHHHHHHHHHHUUHHHHHHHHHUHH De@ 2o, 1949 M. B. ADAMS MODEL DEMONSTRATION SET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 26, 1946 Patented Dec. 20, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE Mullins Manufacturing Corporation,

Salem,

Ohio, a corporation of New York Application January 26, 1946, Serial No. 643,612

4 Claims.

The invention relates generally to demonstration sets used in planning the building or remodeling of a room such as a modern kitchen equipped with prefabricated cabinets.

More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in demonstration sets of the type shown in my prior Patent No. 2,317,124, dated April 20, 1943, which provides for demonstrating in miniature a variety of arrangements of equipment in a given kitchen.

The room walls and floor of the demonstration set are conveniently and cheaply made of heavy stiff cardboard, and the kitchen equipment models may be and preferably are cut-outs of heavy paper and the like which are printed andscored for folding into three-dimensional models. A large number and variety of these models can be packed nat in unfolded condition with the cardboard floor and wall members in a relatively small space in an envelope or box or the like.

The wall members are arranged to stand in vertical position on the floor member in horizontal position, the floor member being preferably marked With a suitable scale so that rooms of various sizes can properly be represented.

.In said Patent No. 2,317,124, the base cabinet models were merely placed on the floor member where desired in folded box-like form, without any attaching means, and the wall cabinet models were provided with downwardly folding rear hanger tabs which were engaged in paper hanger strips on the wall members, to hang the wall cabinets above the base cabinets.

Because of their light weight, the base cabinet models were too easily displaced, by accidental jarring or bumping, from their desired positions on the floor member, and the hanger tabs and strips supporting the wall cabinet models became weakened quickly in use so as to be easily torn or bent, as a result of which the wall cabinets were no longer properly supported.

Other prior demonstration sets have required hanger means glued or stitched to the wall for supporting wall cabinet models, and such hanger means are expensive to construct and often troublesome to use.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved model demonstration set overcoming the disadvantages of the aforesaid prior constructions.

Another object is to provide an improved model demonstration set in which both the base cabinet models and the Wall cabinet models are attached to the wall members to prevent accidental displacement thereof.

A further object is to provide an improved model demonstration set in which the wall members are provided with rows of closely spaced slots for receiving tabs extending rearwardly from both the wall cabinet models and the base cabinet models.

Another object is to provide an improved model demonstration set in which two adjoining wall members and a iioor member are foldably connected for being folded at or set up with the wall members positioned vertically on the floor member. i

A further object is to provide an improved model demonstration set in which two wall members and floor member are foldably connected together, and a third wall member is provided at one end with means for detachable connection with an outer edge of the floor member, and at the other end with means for detachable connection with a Wall member.

A still further object is to provide an improved model demonstration set in which the model cabinets are simply constructed for quickly and easily folding them intobox-like form.

These and other objects and advantages apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and claims may be obtained, the stated results achieved, and the described difficulties overcome, by the devices, constructions, arrangements, combinations, parts and elements which comprise the present invention, the nature of which is set forth in the following general statement, a preferred embodiment of which-illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles-is set forth in the following description and shown in the drawings, and which is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming part hereof.

The nature of the present invention may be stated in general terms as preferably comprising a model demonstration set having two Wall members and a floor member foldably connected together for being set up with the wall members projecting vertically upward from the floor member, the two wall members being provided with vertically spaced horizontal rows of slots for attaching wall and base cabinet models, a third wall member adapted at one end for detachable connection with the outer edge of the floor member and at the other end for detachable connection with one of the foldably connected wall members, said third Wall member having vertically spaced rows of slots for being horizontally aligned with the rows of slots in said foldably connected wall 3 members, and a plurality of foldable box-like model cabinets having rearwardly extending tabs for insertion into said slots for detachable connection to said wall members.

Referring to the drawings forming part hereof, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of example:

Figure 1 is an isometric View of the improved floor member and two wall members foldably connected thereto, in partly unfolded position preparatory to setting up the demonstration set;

Fig. 2 is a detached elevational view of the third wall member;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of one ycf the wall cabinet models in flat condition prior to `being folded;

Fig. 4 is an isometric view thereof in partly folded condition; A

Fig. 5 is a side elevation thereof Ain substantially completely folded condition, parts being broken away and in section;

Fig. 6 is an isometric View of one of `the base cabinet models in partly folded condition;

Fig. l is a perspective view showing the floor and wall members set up and a few of the cabinets positioned thereon;

Fig. 8 is a similar perspective view with a number of the floor and wall cabinets hung to represent one arrangement of a complete model kitchen;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional View through l l the rear wall as on line 9 9, Fig. 8, showing how the third wall member is detachably connected thereto; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional View as on line Iii-I0, Fig. 8, showing how one of the Wall cabinets is detachably mounted on wall I4.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

As shown in Fig. 1, the oor member I 0 is foldably or hingedly connected at its rear edge I I to a rear wall member I2, and the wall member I2 is foldably connected at one side edge I3 to a similar wall member I, the wall member I2 constituting what may be considered the rear wall of a room, and the wall member I4 constituting one side wall. As shown, the floor member is preferably marked off into squares and provided at two adjoining sides with suitable scales I5 for indicating the dimensions of a room in feet and inches.

Preferably, the iioor member I0 has a fold line at I for being folded into a desirable size to fit in a boX or container, and the outer edge portion II opposite the wall member I2 is adapted to fold upwardly at I8 at right angles to the plane of the wall member II), and may have a notch I9 at one end for being engaged in a similar notch in the bottom of the adjOining end of wall I to hold the wall I4 in an upright porsition alone the adjacent Scale l5 of the Hoor member I.

The third wall member 2I is adapted to repf resent the side wall of the room opposite to wall I, and is adapted to be adjustably supported on the floor member ID for movement toward and away from side wall I4, for representing various sizes of rooms. The wall member 2I is provided at the outer end of its lower edge with a notch 22 which is adapted to engage one of a plurality of notches 23 provided at the upper edge of the marginal portion I'I of the oor member. At its opposite end, the upper edge of Wall member ZYI ie provided with a hook portion 24 for fitting over the upper edge of rear wall member I2 and engaging one of a plurality of notches 25 therein.

Below the hook 2d, the wall member 2| is provided with a projecting tab 26 for fitting in any one of a horizontal row of slots 2I provided in the wall member I2. Thus, the wall member 2| may be mounted in an upright position at any desired location along the floor member I9 and .vall member I2, and the edge portion I'I will hold the outer end of the wall member 2I by engagement of one of the notches 23 with the notch 22, while the inner edge of the wall member 2I is held by the engagement of tab 26 in one of the notches 2l and by the engagement of hook 24 `with one of the notches 25 in the top edge of the wall member I2.

After the floor and wall members are set up in the manner described, the various models of wall and base cabinets, and other kitchen equipment may be set in place according to various arrangements so as to depict a modern kitchen and plan the location of the equipment in ad-.- Vance lof the construction of the kitchen. The floor and wall members are preferably made of stiff, heavy cardboard, so as to stand firmly in place when set up.

For the purpose of securing the base cabinete and all equipment supported on the floor in vari.- ous desired locations, the wall members I4, I2, and 2l are provided with horizontal rows of slots 2,3, 29, and 3i? respectively, and all of lthe base cabinets and floor equipment models are provided with rearwardly extending tabs 32 for fitting in and extending through said slots, each equipment model preferably having one such tab at each rear edge, as best indicated in Fig. 6,. These tabs 3 2 project rearwardly in the plane of the sides 33 of each cabinet and are easily inserted in two spaced vapart slots of the rows 28, 29 and 30. Similarly, the wall members I4, I2 and 2l are provided withupper horizontal rows of slots 2B', '2 9' and te' for mounting wall cabinets and equipment whichV extends near to the ceiling of the room..

As best indicated in Figs,- 3, 4 and 5, the Wall cabinet models are provided at their rear edges with rearwardly extending tabs 34 adapted to lit into and extend through the slots 28', 29 and Se', each wall cabinet preferably being provided with two tabs one extending from each Side edge S5. Preferably, the tabs 3d are hooked downwardly so as. to lock the tabs against accidental displacement from the slots, since most of the wall cabinets are not supported underneath, The model window represented at 36 in Figs. 7 and 8, is preferably attached to the wall in a desired location by similar rearwardly projecting tabs 34 (not shown) The kitchen equipment models are preferably made of heavy paper and the like in the ferm of cut-outs which are printed and scored for folding into three-dimensional models, and which may be packed flat for @Cenni/ine a minimum of space when not in use. A wall cabinet model. W is shown in flat condition in Fie. 3 having the front wall portion 3l, side wall portions 35, top wall portion 38, and folding lflaps 3Q joined to the tops of the side walls 35, and a folding-under nap el) joined to the back edge 0f top Wall panel 38. Similarly, the base cabinet members. Snell.

as the Cabinet B vShown in Fis, 6 have the .front Wall. panel Sla, .Side Wall panels 33 foldably @one nected thereto, folding flaps 39a at the tops of the side. Walle. top Wells 38a, and a folding-under flap 40a foldably connected to the rear edge of the top wallfta..` Other than differences in dimension, the wall cabinets differ in construction :from `the base cabinets only with respect to the are readily mounted onV the walls by inserting the tabs 34 in any of the slots 28', 29 and 30' to mount the wall cabinets in any desired location and arrangement. Similarly, the base cabinet models are quickly and easily folded and positioned on the floor with the tabs 32 engaged in any desired slots 28, 29 and 3i] of the wall members to hold the base cabinets in any desired arrangement and location. Since the base cabinet models are supported on the floor, it is not necessary to form the tabs 32 in a hook shape, because the floor provides support in addition to the tabs 32 which prevents accidental displacement of the floor cabinet models.

In folding the wall and base cabinets into their box-like or three-dimensional shape, the reversely folding ilap 40 or 45a is turned under and around the flaps 39 so as to substantially lock the models in their folded form, and yet provides easy means for again unfolding them to flat condition if desired.

As shown in Fig. '7, once the wall members are set up on the floor member, a window such as the window 36 may be positioned in the proper location of the room being represented, and suitable model doors such as the door shown at 42 in Fig. 8 may be properly positioned in the room, the wall member 2l being set up at the proper distance from the wall member lli. The various models of kitchen equipment and cabinets may then be mounted on the walls in a variety of arrangements and locations, the view in Fig. 7 indieating the start of one arrangement, and the view in Fig. 8 showing a completion of the arrangement started in Fig. 7.

The fact that each wall and base cabinet is 'v" supported on a wall member by a pair of tabs or hooks tting into and extending through slots in a wall member, precludes accidental displacement of the models, and the tabs provide a durable means for detachably mounting the models on the wall members. Moreover, the rows of slots in the wall members are easily provided therein without expensive operations such as glueing or stitching.

The improved foldable wall and base cabinet models are cheaply and easily manufactured and quickly folded and substantially locked in folded position by inexperienced persons.

The whole set is cheaply made of paper and adapted to be packed flat in a very small space such as a box or envelope, may be unfolded and set up rapidly, and just as rapidly restored to flat form and returned to the receptacle for future use.

The embodiments oi the present improvements are illustrated and described herein by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction of various parts.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are utilized Cil fordescriptive purposes herein and not for the purpose of limitation, and are intended to be broadly construed.

Having now described the features of the invention, the construction and erection and use of preferred embodiments thereof, and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained by the improved construction; the new and useful devices, constructions, arrangements, combinations, sub-combinations, parts and elements, reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a model demonstration set for representing various arrangements of equipment in a room in miniature, said set having two wall members foldably connected together for forming adjoining walls of the room anda floor member foldably connected to one of said wall members, a third wall member having an upper hook portion at one end for detachable connection with the top edge of one of said oldably connected wall members and having a bottom notch at its other end for detachable connection with an outer edge of said floor member, all of said wall members having vertically spaced horizontal rows of slots for attaching wall and base cabinet models in spaced relation, and a plurality of foldable boxlike wall and base cabinet models each having laterally spaced rearwardly extending tabs for insertion into said slots for detachably connecting said models to the wall members.

2. In a model demonstration set for representing various arrangements of equipment in a room in miniature, said set having two wall members oldably connected together for forming adjoining walls of the room and a floor member foldably connected to one of said wall members, a third wall member having an upper projection at one end for detachable connection with the top edge of one of said foldably connected Wall members and having a bottom notch at its other end for detachable connection with an outer edge of said oor member, each of said wall members having a horizontal row of vertical slots for supporting wall cabinet models, and a plurality of folded box-like wall cabinets each having laterally spaced rearwardly projecting tabs for insertion into said slots.

3. In a model demonstration set for representing various arrangements of equipment in a room in miniature, two wall members oldably connected together for forming adjoining walls of the room, a floor member foldably connected to one of said wall members and having an upwardly folding outer edge portion, said other wall member having a downwardly open slot at its outer end for engaging said outer edge portion of the floor member, and a third wall member having a. downwardly open slot at one end for engaging said outer edge portion and a downwardly open slot at its other end for engaging over the upper edge of said one wall member.

4. In a model demonstration set for representing various arrangements of equipment in a room in miniature, two wall members foldably connected together for forming adjoining walls of the room, a floor member foldably connected to one of said wall members and having an upwardly folding outer edge portion, said one wall member having a horizontal row of vertical slots, said other wall member having a downwardly open slot at its outer end for engaging said outer 'edge portion of lthe floor member', sind a third REFERENGES CITED wall member having a, downwardly open s/let at y one end for engaging said outer edge portion l-swlrfemm gm of 'rg-gom m me and a downwardly open slot-at; its other end vfor engaging over the upper edge of said one wall 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS member, `seid third wall member having a tab Droieetng from said other end for insertion into Pfelm Octglgog one of said slots for holding said wall member 2 Q5592` thw=""m haln' f8 1536 ui., .w-. f ..1u f M. .A .1 l n if mgm @1112.4 Apr, ne;

B. ADAMS. l0 

